Holy Week: Friday

Good Friday starts with Jesus being betrayed by Peter three times before the rooster crowed. This is the most difficult day of Holy Week. In these final hours, we see the pain and agony of our sin, manifested on the cross. Before 9am, Jesus endured false accusations, mockery, and beatings. After several trials, he was sentenced to death by crucifixion. Soldiers spit on him and pierced his head with a crown of thorns. Then, he was nailed to the cross. There he uttered, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." Around 3pm, our Savior took his final breath. Around six that night, Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea took the body of Jesus down and laid it in a tomb, under Roman guard. Saturday night 75-pounds of perfumed ointments were placed on Jesus’ body and he was wrapped in linen. On the third day, several women came to the tomb and found the stone that blocked the entrance was gone. And angel appeared and said “Do not be afraid. Jesus isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said!” One Resurrection Sunday, Jesus appears to at least five people. One was Thomas, who asked to see the wounds. They were there. Proof that Jesus was pierced. That he died and that he rose again! All for the sake of paying the price for each one of our sins. Hallelujah! He is risen!